Iberia Parish President Files Formal Complaint Against DA Phil Haney

Iberia Parish President Errol "Romo" Romero has filed a formal complaint against Phil Haney, the 16th Judicial District Attorney.

The 126-page complaint was filed with numerous state agencies, including the Louisiana Board of Ethics and the Louisiana Attorney General. Among the complaints are several allegations of misconduct on the part of Haney.

In one instance, the report alleges Haney put his responsibilities as DA on the back burner when he represented a plaintiff in a civil suit through his private practice. The suit stemmed from an incident in which criminal charges were filed in the 16th Judicial District. The DA's office was recused from the case, so the AG's office handled prosecution. According to the complaint, Haney's private practice earned $20-thousand in a settlement in the civil suit.

In a written statement to KATC, Haney said "The issues raised in the complaint are without merit," he went on to say: "The people of Iberia Parish are aware of the on-going political dispute Mr. Romero has with this office. Our office is confident that at the conclusion of the investigation into the complaint it will be established that the complaint is political rather than based in law and fact."

Concerning the misconduct allegation mentioned above, Haney has a hearing Tuesday morning in Lafayette Parish before the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.